Instructional Pillars of Success

"Our most telling measure of success is how our students do when they leave our school—to see who they become and all that they accomplish!"

Success at The de Paul School is a strategy, a class, a concept, and above all, a result. The de Paul School has very high expectations for our students. We teach them that they cansucceed. We do not dilute or slow their educational experience, rather we find the right ways to teach that dignify each student's intellect and abilities.

We give our students the tools, strategies, and support they need to truly learn and succeed. At the core of our teaching is a system called Instructional Pillars of Success, a four-element approach that unlocks each student's potential.

MULTISENSORY

Our teaching is visual, auditory, and kinesthetic, which caters to the individual student's learning needs, no matter what their learning deficit may be. Incorporating all of the senses creates a learning experience that resonates long after class has ended.

ATTENTION-BASED

A key part to creating the ideal learning environment is capturing and holding each student's attention. Teaching to engaged students optimizes the learning experience and retention. We do this by pairing expert teachers with superlative curriculum to produce a balance of information exchange with appropriate learning windows. Our faculty also teaches students strategies to stay focused, and help them recognize when they are losing focus.

PRACTICE FOR MASTERY

We know that practice, both in class (often with cross curriculum opportunities) and through after school assignments, helps students to not only know their content, but to own it. Classes with more multisensory activity help keep this repetition engaging. Over time, as students become more proficient with a subject or skill, teachers are able to scaffold, or scale back, their assistance, enhancing the student's sense of academic independence and accomplishment.

STRUCTURE

Structure is essential in achieving success in the classroom. First, with consistency. There is structure in how the teachers present information to the students: introducing concepts at a concrete level, and then building on that foundation. Second, we teach students how to organize their own thoughts, environment and written work. Students know the classroom is a safe place to learn, to make mistakes, to begin again, and to succeed.